Kitsap Education

The Bremerton School Board got a look at the preliminary budget presentation Thursday night. Here’s a look  at the 2010-11 budget presentation.

The board will vote on the proposal in August.

At least two Bremerton High School students are pretty upset about the outcome of the new yearbook. Check out the story from King5.

A Montessori program for first through third grades will open in the fall at Naval Avenue Early Learning Center in Bremerton.

Twenty students have enrolled in the program, which will provide enough money to pay for a teacher. Interviews have been held and a job offer has been made, said Bremertson School District spokeswoman Patty Glaser.

Parents approached the district earlier this year asking for a Montessori program at the elementary level. Naval Avenue is currently home to a Montessori preschool, Advantage Montessori, but the district does not have any Montessori-based learning for older children. Central Kitsap School District offers the only local Montessori program at Jackson Park Elementary, but it’s difficult to get a spot, especially for out-of-district families.

There has been some criticism from local folks that the district should not start another program when budgets are being cut in other areas. On the flip side, advocates argue, a Montessori program might keep families who would otherwise open-enroll out of Bremerton in the district, thus keeping that state funding in BSD.

First story on the Montessori request

Second story on Montessori plan

Blog post on Montessori issue

Washington state’s application for the Department of Education’s Race to the Top grants is in process, carrying with it endorsements from almost all Washington public schools. Check out the story I wrote about it last week. But not everyone is on board.

Lots of branches of the statewide teachers union have not signed on, including those in Central and North Kitsap.

Bremerton’s Education Association did sign on, though President Tina Mahaney said it was philosophically hard to do. “Philosophically we are against competing because we don’t feel we should have to compete for money for basic education,” she said. However, BEA members agreed that it would be wrong to pass by a chance to gain funds for the schools when budget cuts come every year. “We can’t afford to let any money pass us by if it’s out there,” Mahaney added.  Bremerton schools stand to gain more (over $1.1 million) from RTTT than any other local district. The level of poverty among students in the Bremerton schools entitles them to more federal funds each year than any other local district. Under RTTT, that Title I status also could garner Bremerton schools more money. (In comparison, CK schools have almost twice the enrollment as Bremerton, but without the district-wide Title I status CK only gets a little more than $900,000.)

South Kitsap Education Association signed on too to “be collaborative” with the school district, said Judy Arbogast, SKEA president. There is concern among SKEA members about the extra workload created by the potential of new federal money. Arbogast said there are many unknowns, including the “cost-benefit analysis.” Arbogast also said that there is a mixed message. On the one hand, schools are charged with meeting the needs of every child under the federal No Child Left Behind law, but now they are competing for the money to do it. “We shouldn’t be fighting for the money that is needed,” she said. 

Catherine Ahl, a former NK school board member and active participant these days in the League of Women Voters, has been against RTTT for several months. She wrote an email to me late last week.

“I recommended voting against it although I don’t think WA has a chance in Hell of winning anyway. I believe if money comes from the federal government there will be strings attached and reporting requirements that might cost many of the dollars received. If the state doesn’t receive the money, schools might still be mandated to do what they signed up for. This seems to be a diversion from the (NEWS) lawsuit ruling. It will do nothing about funding transportation, utility, curriculum replacement etc. that local levies are paying for. The state continues to ignore its Constitutional duty.” 

Some estimate that Washington has only a 20 percent chance of winning any RTTT money. Remember in the last go-around of RTTT awards only two states, Delaware and Tennessee, won grants.

At least nine more students are needed to enroll in the Bremerton School District’s planned montessori program for first through third grades if it’s to move forward.

Currently 16 are enrolled; the district needs 25 to make the program affordable.  BSD spokeswoman Patty Glaser said Monday that the district will be interviewing a teacher for the program and that may generate more interest. I’ve heard at least a couple times that parents are waiting to see who the teacher will be before enrolling.

At least one parent in Bremerton has her fingers and toes crossed that this program goes forward. Genavieve Scott wrote me an email last week and said she is “desperate” to have another option for her daughter next year. Her daughter will be in first grade and currently attends West Hills Elementary School. Scott said she’s been working diligently but hasn’t had a lot of luck getting more families to register. She doesn’t feel it’s been promoted enough. So here you go Genavieve … another piece of information out into the world.

The annual fashion show at Bremerton High School on Tuesday will feature garments made from the pages of fashion magazines Vogue and Harpers Bazaar.
Two students, Samantha Davies and Victoria Rose Llewellyn, created the knee-length dresses, a sweetheart gown and some apparel for men, from the pages. Davies and Llewellyn are students in BHS instructor Madonna Hanna’s advanced fashion marketing class.
In addition to the special garments, the show will feature tributes to fashion and music icons Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Janet Jackson. BHS staff members Tamy Deam and Daniel McInnis will make their debuts as models. Art projects, classical music by the BHS string quartet and treats by Knights Catering will also be available.
The event begins at 7 p.m. in the performing arts center at BHS. Tickets are $5 at the door. The show is sponsored by Kitsap Credit Union.

A workshop titled: “The Power of Parents in Education and Student Achievement” will be held Thursday at Emmanuel Apostolic Church in Bremerton.
The event begins at 6 p.m. at the church, 1023 6th St.
Beverly Raimondo, director of The Center for Parent Leadership in Lexington, Ken., will present the “flagship example” of parent leadership training that helps parents and community members improve schools and take part in policy and practice changes that accelerate student achievement. This process prepares parents to assume leadership in multiple ways in education and become strong partners with their schools.
The workshop is sponsored by Emmanuel Apostolic Church, New Life Community Development and Kitsap County Community Organization Group.

Bishop Larry Robertson of Emmanuel Apostolic said the church wanted to bring in someone to help local parents learn to be positive, proactive advocates for their children in the schools. “It’s a proactive approach to supporting our children,” he said.
Robertson said Raimondo wil give the initial training and workshop. Then a core group of trained parents will go out into the community and train other parents to know the laws around education and be good advocates for children.
“This initially trains parents who train parents about the laws involving their children so that they come with a good knowledge of what they can and can’t do and so they can work together with the school administrators and teachers,” Robertson said.

For more information or to R.S.V.P., please call (360) 479-3674.

Nope. I just wrote that so you would click on it and have to read on. Read about CK’s layoffs here.

Layoffs (known as reductions-in-force or RIFs in education speak) will occur in Bainbridge schools. Bainbridge leaders voted last night to RIF 9.5 teachers. Read the story here. Bainbridge planned to layoff 15.7 teachers last year. But after community fundraising, retirements and resignations, the real RIF number became 1.7. The schools foundation alone raised enough money to save 8 positions.

It’s not clear yet if there wil be a RIF in North Kitsap schools. Superintendent Rick Jones said leaders are “in the throes” of making that decision. The drop-dead date for that decision is May 7. The school board gave NK leaders the authority to RIF  at its meeting last week but Jones is really hoping it won’t happen. NK has about another $700,000 to cut out of its operating budget. That amounts to the cost (approximately) of 13 teachers, though Jones was quick to point out that those cuts won’t be placed only on teachers. If a RIF is necessary, the final number will be announced at the May 13 board meeting.

Bremerton and North Mason RIF’d last year, so they won’t be doing so this year. South Kitsap did not RIF last year, and has no plans to do so this year either. I’ve pasted a letter below that Superintendent Dave LaRose sent to staff earlier this month. It’s a pretty good explanation of where SK (and lots of other districts) are in this process.
SKSD Budget Cuts Letter April 2010

So my email inbox is chock full of awards and kudos for local students. We should all share in congratulating these fine, bright young people among us!

CKHS junior Devon Lewis received a national award for his essay on the Civil Rights Movement.

Devon Lewis, a junior at Central Kitsap High School, was one of two runners-up in the nationwide The Legacy Essay Contest. He recently traveled to Washington D.C. to receive the award for his essay titled: The Civil Rights Movement: The Past, Present, and Future.  

The Legacy Essay Contest was designed to inspire high school juniors and seniors to look at their own lives and times in the context of the values and goals of the Civil Rights Movement. It is a joint project of Karz Productions (creator of the feature documentary ”Legacy: Black and White in America,”) the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, among other groups. Judges included Muhammad Ali, India.Arie and Morris Dees. Lewis met Education Secretary Arne Duncan at the ceremony. He and his mom, Tarra Lawson, also received an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C.

Tucker Alexander, a student at Mountain View Middle School in Bremerton, has been named one of two honorees statewide for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. Alexander received a letter of recognition and a silver medallion from state Superintendent Randy Dorn. A $1000 will also be contributed in her name to Bremerton Foodline, where she has volunteered since age 5. Alexander will also participate in a conference in Washington D.C., touring the capitol and the Museum of Natural History. Alexander is also eligible for a national award and a $5,000 contribution to the charity.

Alexander has been working at Foodline since she was 5 and has held yard sales and food sales to raise money for the food bank. In 2009, she gathered $1,500 for Foodline through sales of garden produce, zucchini bread, flowers and crafts.

Three teams from the Central Kitsap School District were chosen to compete in the Destination Imagination Global Finals in Knoxville, Tenn., in May. The teams are from Emerald Heights and Silverdale elementary schools and CK High School. As you can imagine, the travel to Tennessee and the entry into the competition is pretty expensive (I think $1,000 per child. Each team has five or six kids.) So the teams are fund-raising. Tonight and tomorrow night you can support the teams by eating at Chung’s Teriyaki on Bucklin HillRoad in Silverdale. Just ask your server to have 20 percent of your check go to CKSD’s Destination Imagination teams.

Poulsbo Elementary School student Cheyenne Martinek is the national winner of the Igniting Creative Energy Challenge, a competition sponsored by Johnson Controls. Martinek,a  fifth-grader, was surprised with the award on Thursday at school. ICE is national educational competition sponsored by Johnson Controls that encourages students in kindergarten through 12^th grade to develop creative ways to be more energy efficient and become better stewards of the environment. Martinek created Ways to be Kind to the Earth and Save Energy, a video featuring Lego characters performing eight activities to save the environment, including picking up trash, planting trees, recycling and using alternative forms of transportation.

Here’s a rundown of some education happenings in Kitsap County this week:

On Wednesday from 1 to 3 p.m., a public forum will be held to allow folks to discuss the recent incident of racist grafitti posted in a bathroom at Olympic College. The forum will be held outside of the Bremer Student Center.

Also on Wednesday, the Central Kitsap School Board is scheduled to discuss budget cuts and layoffs for the 2010-11 school year. While CK has avoided laying off teachers in recent years despite big budget cuts, it’s clear now that the district won’t be able to do that this time around. Superintendent Greg Lynch told the CK Community Council last week that CKSD will be announcing “significant” teacher layoffs. The district has to cut $3.4 million from its $115 million operating budget. “We’re still doing what we need to do with our youngsters, but sadly I think that time is coming to an end,” he said.  The board will hold a study session on the issue from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The regular meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. The board meets at 9210 Silverdale Way. 

On Thursday, a forum titled “Pros and Cons and Alternatives for Medicating Your Child” will be held at Kitsap Lake Elementary in Bremerton. The forum is for anyone who works or lives with students who have ADD, ADHD, Autism, Aspergers or any other condition that affects learning. A clinical psychologist and developmental pediatrician will be on hand for the forum. It begins at 5:30 p.m. Childcare and dinner will be provided. Please contact Martha Patterson at (360) 473-4380 or martha.patterson@bsd.wednet.edu as soon as possible to register.