Kitsap Education

Parents and students in the North Mason schools can order their school supplies online. The supplies will be delivered to school and ready the first day of school in the students’ classrooms. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me (the mother of three.)

Here’s the email NMSD sent out a couple days ago:

“We’ve re-opened the sites to order your school supplies online.  Orders must be placed by August 8^th.

WHY SHOULD YOU ORDER SCHOOL SUPPLIES ONLINE? 

• TEACHER APPROVED AND CUSTOM PACKED FOR EACH STUDENT.  EXACTLY WHAT YOUR CHILD NEEDS.  
• ·         SAVE TIME & MONEY WITH QUALITY PRODUCTS.
• HAVE YOUR CHILD PREPARED THE FIRST DAY OF CLASS. PACKS WILL BE IN YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOM ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
• ·         AVOID SHOPPING HASSLES.  NO CROWDS, NO TRAFFIC, NO GUESSWORK.  SAVE ON GAS!
• ·         SPECIAL FREE OFFERS WITH EACH ORDER.

Ordering is simple:

QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT TONYA BEATTIE (360) 277-2300.”

A bit more information: Tonya Beattie, executive assistant to Superintendent David Peterson, said the district decided to cut down on school supply lists this year and try to help families. The district has put out a “donations” list to the community. The epipack school supply packs costs between $11 and $34 (varies between schools and grades.) Also, the epipack company donates 5 percent in sales back to the schools.

So what do you think?

Staff and students at Breidablik Elementary in North Kitsap have set a goal to make their campus as green as possible. The school is home to a rain garden, a nature trail, an orchard, a berm to help with runoff and now a vegetable garden. Just before school let out last week, staff and students dedicated the garden in honor of Dan Delaney, a former member of the NK school board and a big supporter of green projects. Delaney resigned from the board last year due to some health problems.

Breidablik librarian Mary Fox was kind enough to send along some pictures from the dedication. You can see in one photo that the school used an old metal play structure to function in the garden.

Former NK School Board member Dan Delaney watches as the garden is dedicated in his honor.

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.

A team of students from Hawkins Middle School in North Mason recently took first prize in a statewide citizenship competition. The students’ work, compiled as a display, will now be featured at an event in Washington D.C.
The 24 eighth-graders in Julie Sullivan’s honors class tackled the subject of how the law treats sex offenders. Read more about the project here.
They did the project as an entry in Project Citizen, a national civics education program for middle schools. The group spent months researching and developing arguments for changes and improvements in laws concerned sex offenders. Project Citizen helps students research and develop solutions for public policy problems. They can develop a plan to influence leaders to change the policies. The project helps students “develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy,” according to Project Citizen’s website. Locally, Project Citizens is coordinated by Tom Springer.
The students involved in the project are: Angela Barber, Samantha Boggs, Chandler Boschee, Laura Brown, Emma Gerguson, Noelle Green, Megan Hicks, Zak Humm, Rachel Huxford, Kirsten Iovinelli, Nick Kissler, Victor McIntosh, Anabell Medina, Mikayla Mehelich, Summer Mielke, Andrew Ness, Sarah Nicosia, Jason Panzera, Bryan Plankenhorn, Brandon Randles, Andi Rasmussen, Ariana Richardson, Thitichaya Sawatpetch, Thomas Unruh and Sarah Wilson.

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

A new book published by a Harvard senior lecturer looks at the numerous studies done on AP classes over the years. The book’s conclusion finds that the classes, which allow high school students to take college-level courses and in some cases get credits, aren’ t the educational magic bullet. This is probably something to consider as more and more local high schools add AP classes at the insistence of students and parents.

Read more about it here.

Schools get a lot of different awards for a lot of unusual reasons, but this is the first time I’ve heard of a school district being named “business of the year” by the local Chamber of Commerce. Please feel free to correct me if I’ve gotten this wrong and school districts are being recognized by chambers all over the place.

Over the weekend, the North Mason Chamber of Commerce named the North Mason School District its business of the year.

Here’s the email NMSD Superintendent David Peterson sent out this morning.

On Saturday evening, the North Mason Chamber of Commerce presented NMSD the award of 2009 Business of the Year. There are 430 (or so) businesses and organizations that are members of the Chamber, all of which were eligible for selection. The Chamber selected us. It was a wonderful honor to stand with NMSD Board Members Mike Gaudio, Art Wightman, and John Campbell as last year’s winner, Jerry Reid, made the formal presentation.
The reasons are many. Our contribution to our local economy and our charitable giving are, of course, important to the Chamber of Commerce. Our “shop locally” attitude, especially in terms of our capital levy work and other vendor selections, is also significant to the Chamber. We make an effort to work with local companies, stores, and other vendors whenever possible, and it is noticed in a big way. Also influential to the Chamber are the dramatic improvements in our public image, improvements in academic achievement, our recent election successes, and more.
This is a big deal, and we are very proud to be recognized by our Chamber of Commerce. Our staff and leadership have been, and continue be working hard on improving the success of students and support of families. To have this work noticed and acknowledged by the community leaders of the NM Chamber is one more step in our continuing effort to Build the Pride.

Not too many short years ago, the NM School Board was in disarray and the district’s reputation was not favorable. Have things turned around in NM that much in just a few years? My sense, as a reporter anyway, is that things are better. Superintendent David Peterson is particularly responsive and open to talking about NM schools and education issues in general.

Let me know, kitsapeducation readers.

The North Mason School District needs applicants for the open position representing District 2.
The applicant chosen will serve through the winter of 2011. Qualifications include residing within the boundaries of District 2 (Union River south to Belfair-Tahuya Rd. including Lynch Cove, Beards Cove and View Ridge Hts.- map and legal description available upon request) and registered to vote in NMSD. To be considered, applicants must submit a letter of interest to include contact information, a brief biographical sketch and a statement about your interest in being a board member. Letters of interest will be accepted at the District Office, 71 E Campus Dr., Belfair, WA 98528. Please call the District Administration Office at (360) 277-2300 for more information.

Early returns in voting Tuesday show Bainbridge Island School District voters narrowly approving a $42 million construction bond while several school board races produced surprising results.
The Bainbridge bond was passing with 60.19 percent of the vote, just squeaking over the two-thirds  60 percent supermajority vote needed to pass a bond. An almost identical measure failed by the slimmest of margins, less than 1 percent or 19 votes, in May.
Replacing Wilkes Elementary will consume $32 million of the bond; the remaining $10 million will be spent for renovations at six schools, the transportation facility and the administration building.
“We are absolutely thrilled,” said school board President Mary Curtis. “We’re hanging on to our 60 percent margin and we all could not be more pleased.”
A second ballot count will be completed at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

In Bremerton, current school board President Cynthia Galloway and challenger David Boynton were in a dead heat for the Position #4 seat. Galloway held a slight lead over Boynton with 49.85 percent of the vote to his 49.57 percent
In the race for Position #1 on the board, Scott Rahm had a 17-point lead over Christianne Martin. Rahm received 58 percent while Martin had 41. The winner in that race will fill out the term of Pat Jones, who resigned from the board in May. The term runs through the end of 2011.Carolynn Perkins was up by 27 points over Ruben Garcia in the race for Position #5. The winner in that race will take the place of long-time board member DeWayne Boyd, who declared earlier this year that he would not run for a third time.

In South Kitsap, Director District 3 challenger Christopher Lemke held a significant lead – 22 points – over incumbent Naomi Polen. Lemke had gathered 60 percent of the vote while Polen had 38 percent. Polen has served on the SK board since spring 2008; Lemke served on the board previously from 2001 to 2005. Incumbent Kathryn Simpson, who was not challenged, received 97 percent of the vote. She represents District 4.

In Central Kitsap, incumbent Eric Greene had an early lead over challenger Richard Romero. Greene, who currently represents Director Area 5, received 60 percent of the vote while Romero had 38 percent. In the race for Director Area 2, Mark Gaines collected 62 percent of the vote to take the lead over Robert MacDermid, who had 37 percent. District Area 2 is currently represented by long-time board member Carl Johnson, who did not run. Incumbent Bruce Richards, who represents District Area 1, was unchallenged. He received 98 percent of the vote.

In North Mason’s District 5 race, with 56 percent of the vote, incumbent Mike Gaudio was defeating Danielle Skeeters, who has collected 43 percent of the vote.

In North Kitsap, District 1 incumbent Tom Anderson, who was not challenged, received 98 percent of the vote. NK newcomer Kathleen Dassel, the only candidate to file for Director District 3 to replace Melanie Mohler, received 97.8 percent of the vote. On Bainbridge incumbent Mary Curtis (District 5) received 98 percent of the vote; Mike Spence, who was running unopposed for District 2, also received 98 percent of the vote.

This was sent tonight by North Mason Superintendent David Peterson:

Bus B-13 was rear-ended downtown Belfair today as the driver was taking elementary students home at the end of the day. There were no injuries to any of the 17 kids on the bus. We brought in another bus to complete the run and get the kids home. The driver of the other vehicle had no apparent serious injury, but was transported to the hospital to be checked out.
Bus accidents are pretty rare for us. We have one or two per year, and they are typically minor. In nearly every case, someone runs into one of our buses. Each and every time, our staff respond extremely well, just like this time. Our driver took great care of the kids. Our mechanic and transportation director got to the scene as soon as they could. Staff called the parents of the students on the bus to let them know about the accident and the delayed trip home. We brought another bus to the scene to safely transfer the students and get them home with the shortest possible delay.

Good work, drivers and staff. Thank you.
David Peterson, Superintendent