Kitsap Education

Beyond a discussion of the preliminary budget for the 2010-11 school year, which you can read about here, the CK School Board last night also discussed a proposal for a capital projects levy and long-term strategic planning.

The levy discussion centered around when the board felt comfortable voting on the resolution that would cement the levy for the February 2011 ballot. President Chris Stokke and board members Eric Greene and Mark Gaines (Bruce Richards was out sick) seemed pretty sure they could vote at the Aug. 11 meeting, but board member Christy Cathcart wasn’t as enthusiastic. She wanted firm numbers on property assessments for CK at that time, but county Assessor Jim Avery isn’t sure he can provide those final numbers until Sept. 1. The assessment value will affect rate at which the levy will be applied to bring in the total amount needed  by the district for the construction projects. Read more about the levy proposal here.

Cathcart compared the levy resolution to a contract and said she didn’t want to sign on until she felt she had all the information. The other board members didn’t necessarily contradict her but also didn’t necessarily agree and seemed to want to move forward in August. I know members of CK’s levy committee are anxious to have the board’s vote so they can move forward with plans to encourage folks to approve the levy. It remains to be seen if the CK board will vote in August … stay tuned.

And one more item … it seems like CK folks need to be ready to think about grade reconfiguration. Currently the elementary schools are kindergarten through sixth grade, junior highs are seventh, eighth and ninth and high schools are 10th, 11th and 12th. 

At the board meeting last night along the back wall of the board room was drawn a massive timeline from June 2010 through the end of the 2013-14 school year. Items along the timeline included: climate survey, RIF II, demographic study, teacher and principal evaluations, a third-fifth grade reading curriculum adoption and a reconfiguration study. The reconfiguration study was placed on the timeline next spring; the note “reconfiguration complete” was placed in July of 2014. CKSD spokesman David Beil pointed out that the timeline and discussions around strategic, long-term planning are working documents and only at the discussion level. Nothing is set in stone. But as CK Junior High building continues to deteriorate and enrollment numbers continue to fall (CK has lost 1,364 students in the past six years) it’s pretty clear things will be changing CK. How that all plays out will be interesting to watch. I’m betting it will include boundary changes as well, which would mean shifting kids to different schools.

At a meeting Wednesday, the Central Kitsap School Board and the public will get a  look at the school district’s preliminary budget for the 2010-11 school year.  The budget will then be available on the website, cksd.wednet.edu, after the meeting. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the administrative offices, 9210 Silverdale Way.

Here’s a past story about layoffs and potential budget cuts.

Here’s a link to all the district information on the budget.

The Central Kitsap School Board played to a full house tonight, with many interesting folks in the packed seats. There was Dave Pevovar – famed physics and computer science teacher at CKHS – (he has his own Facebook fan page) and Paul Birkenfeld, another beloved CKHS science teacher. Elizabeth Blandin and JD Sweet were there too. Sweet is a long-time (30-plus years, I think) history teacher at CKHS and leader in the local African American community. Blandin teaches English and works in the library. The pair recently won a Washington Education Association award for their project working with kids on diversity issues. I saw other familiar faces whose names I can’t quite put my finger on right now (my bad!) – suffice to say most of them were from CKHS.

While I was there initially to find out more about a proposed capital projects levy CKSD may put on the February 2011 ballot, staff members packed the house to talk about class sizes and staffing for the 2010-11 school year. CK was the only district locally to lay off staff this year. This has made for some very difficult situations in the district. The good news, from HR director Jeanie Beckon, is that two of the 13 teachers (one math and one science, both at the secondary level) who were laid off have been recalled to their jobs. CK leaders hope to give back more jobs – probably at elementary – before the end of the school year.

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Today’s Sun featured a story about an unfortunate incident on a Klahowya Secondary School school bus. I think there’s plenty that’s been said about the particular incident in the comments on the story. I will add, because I did not read it there, that I see this as just a plain old tragedy. These are very young kids who have long lives ahead of them. To have this incident coloring their lives at this young age is heartbreaking. 

So, the story did take me back to another story I did a few weeks ago.

Local attorney Ryan Witt and his wife, Jenn, who is also an attorney, held a community forum titled  ”Talking Law With Your Teen” at Silverwood School. I wrote a story previewing the event hoping folks would attend. The forum had a pretty good turnout, from what I heard. With the Klahowya incident now public, it makes me think Ryan and Jenn Witt’s information about teens and the law needs to be even more widely disseminated.

Parents, teens and school officials need to know just exactly how troublesome and damaging some of these behaviors (and the documentation of them) can be to kids’ futures. In our interview, Ryan Witt made the point several times that most folks think juvenile criminal records are sealed and private. Not true. Universities, the military and other organizations are now relying on data-mining technology to search every square inch of the Internet when vetting candidates. That means Facebook and MySpace too.  I called Ryan this afternoon just to get his take on the incident. He read through the Sun’s story and theorized that the kids involved in the actual sex act could be charged with indecent exposure, a gross misdemeanor. The girl who recorded it could be charged with possession of child pornography. “The girl probably did the right thing by erasing it, but I don’t know if that excuses the fact that she recorded it in the first place,” he said.

Another thing that struck me from the story about the Klahowya incident: the girl who recorded the oral sex act on her cell phone said she did not send it anywhere and that she erased it. Guess what? It might not be gone. Whether a cell phone company retains records of phone calls, texts or videos varies from company to company. Even though the girls erased the recording, it might still exist. A simple subpeona from the authorities means it pops up again, according to Witt. I bet the phone company will also be able to tell if in fact the girl did disseminate that recording. There’s  a reason Witt has nicknamed cell phones “pocket probable cause gadgets.”

Again, what a tragedy.

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.

Central Kitsap School Board member Christy Cathcart wore her green and white “I (Heart) Boobies” bracelet to the school board meeting Wednesday night. She carried a few more of them in her purse (I had to leave the meeting early but I did wonder whether she handed them out to her fellow board members.)
Cathcart, who works in hospice, has been giving a lot of thought to the controversy over the bracelets at Klahowya Secondary School. The Sun published a story on Monday; regional TV and radio stations have taken up the story since.
As a hospice worker, Cathcart said she’s watched far too many women younger than 35 die of breast cancer. Making young women aware of breast cancer is important for their health. Making all young people aware of breast cancer is important because it matters to their families. “They are impacted. These are their mothers and grandmothers,” she said.
So the school board spent a fair amount of time talking about various policies Wednesday night (in relation to gangs, parent involvement, online learning.) Toward the end of that discussion, Cathcart asked board members to discus the possibility of writing a policy to help deal with situations that arise around “awareness” campaigns, say, for example, in the case of a breast cancer awareness effort.
Cathcart began by saying that her proposal wasn’t a “judgment” of actions or situations going on in CK schools right now. But she did wonder whether the response should have dealt more with the behavior created by the bracelets than with the bracelets themselves, which were banned. Perhaps, administrators who are faced with these decisions need more guidance and help on making these decisions? Could a board policy help? she asked.
But her fellow board members seemed disinclined to agree. Board member Bruce Richards said CK has a capable superintendent and capable building administrators who need “leeway” to make decisions and judgment calls. “I would support the principal,” he said. Richards said the principals should have the power to decide what items are disruptive to the educational environment. Creating a policy would mean having to define “offensive.” That’s very difficult, he added.
Board member Eric Greene added; “We have to trust the people we have in charge.”
Cathcart pointed out that an earlier attempt by Klahowya students to raise awareness of gay and lesbian issues (students wore duct tape over their mouths at school to signify silence) was allowed to happen. Board President Chris Stokke said there were limitations around the wearing of duct tape; students had to remove the tape during class. And Superintendent Greg Lynch said that situation was handled differently because administrators knew in advance of the students’ plans.
“But that’s what I’m saying. You knew about the duct tape. You could plan,” responded Cathcart. “That’s what I’m saying. Let’s get out in front of it.”
Lynch did offer at one point in the discussion to look into whether a policy would be effective, though the board did not take any formal action asking him to do just that. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if it comes up again at a later meeting.
On another note, perhaps the students have already moved on from this issue. I heard from one mom this week who told me she took the “I (Heart) Boobies” bracelet that has been worn by her junior-high son recently. The irony? He hasn’t noticed it’s missing.

What? You didn’t think there could be more boobie news. Hah! Wrong! (If you’re confused, read this.)

Stories about the banning of the “I (Heart) Boobies” bracelets at Klahowya Secondary School in Central Kitsap made KING and KIRO TV news on Tuesday.

Now rumor has it (and Kitsap Education isn’t in the habit of spreading too many rumors, but hey, what are blogs for anyway?) that a certain Central Kitsap School Board member will be wearing an “I Heart Boobies” bracelet to the meeting tonight to show solidarity with students. I’ll be there to check it out. Study session starts at 5 at the central office, 9210 Silverdale Way. (Actually I will be there to listen in on talks about budget cuts, but I will take a peak at school board members’ wrists too.)

These bracelets are causing a stir at Klahowya and other local schools, as well as schools around the country.

In an email to the Kitsap Sun last week, 16-year-old Klahowya Secondary School student Brittany Indvik wrote that her freedom of expression was being taken away because she and other students at KSS are not allowed to wear a bracelet inscribed with “I Heart Boobies” from the Keep A Breast Foundation.

Indvik said students have been told to take the bracelets off or to turn the bracelets inside out. She heard that some students were sent home for refusing to do so. I have an email into CKSD and Klahowya to get the administration’s side of the story too.

It’s an interesting discussion – one that, like a lot of school topics, –  rides a fine line.

First a little background.

KAB is a non-profit started in 2000 and based in Carlsbad in Southern California. The group is SoCal, surfer-centric – very geared toward young people. It’s board of directors includes musicians from alternative/progressive bands like Angels and Airwaves and a four-time world champion surfer. It’s partners include brands like Quiksilver, Zumiez and ROXY. Its mission is to educate young people about breast cancer.

From Keep A Breast’s website:
Combining sculpture, philanthropy, and symbolic artistry, the (co-founders) launched a series of art benefits exhibiting one-of-a-kind plaster forms of the female torso, customized by artists and auctioned to raise funds for breast cancer programs all over the world. A 501c3 nonprofit organization, Keep A Breast has produced fundraising events across the US, Canada, Australia and Europe on behalf of charities such as The Young Survival Coalition, Europa Donna and The Breast Cancer Fund.

The success of these art benefits put breast cancer awareness on the map for a younger generation, and in 2004 Keep A Breast realized that was only half the battle. To further its mission to prevent breast cancer, KAB launched a series of education and awareness programs. These unique campaigns use art and artistic expression to inform young people about methods of prevention, early detection, coping and support. Through these programs Keep A Breast strives to eradicate breast cancer by inspiring young people to adopt lifestyle choices that have long-term health benefits.

So clearly Keep A Breast went looking for Brittany and kids like her and found its demographic. Brittany bought her bracelet at Zumiez at the Kitsap Mall.

Last fall I heard about this issue from a mom I know whose son attends Central Kitsap Junior High. My son who attends CK High School also said he’s seen the bracelets there. Another Sun staff member whose son attends a junior high in South Kitsap said the same thing is happening there. Google “Keep A Breast” and lots of links to stories about schools banning the bracelets pop up, including this one.

I talked with Brittany yesterday and she readily admits there are kids who wear the bracelets for shock value. She estimated that a quarter of the student who wear the bracelets wear them for the purpose of raising awareness of breast cancer. She wears one because her grandmother has cancer.

Brittany compared the bracelets to a protest at KSS by students in the school’s gay-straight alliance. Those students wore duct tape over their mouths, she said, and did not get in trouble with KSS administration. Wearing the I Love Boobies bracelets is the same thing, she said.

“It’s a good cause and we’re not allowed to stand up for it,” she said. “They tell us to stand up for something and then we get shot down.” 

So what do you think Kitsap Education readers? Is this a freedom of expression issue or an issue of school officials trying to keep out disruptive influences?

CKJH student Jennifer Jacobs plucks a water bottle from the weeds near the corner of Bucklin Hill Road and Silverdale Way.

Students from the Central Kitsap School District fanned out across their communities on Saturday for the annual CK Super Saturday event. Kids picked up trash and generally spruced up the area. They held a big BBQ at the fairgrounds in the afternoon.

CKJH students stood near the corner of Bucklin Hill Road and Silverdale Way on Saturday and cheered for passing cars. Appreciative motorists honked and waved back.

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