Category Archives: Schools

South Kitsap Teacher Messing with Kids’ Attitudes Toward Civics

Terri Messing, Cedar Heights Junior High School reading and geography teacher, remembers the thrill of the first presidential campaign she worked on, John F. Kennedy’s. The extent of her activity was wearing a Kennedy campaign button, but, hey, she was only was 5.

Messing, whose father was politically active, passed along to his daughter a love and appreciation for civics that Messing in turn has passed along to her students.

Messing was recently honored as Teacher of the Year by the Washington State Council for Social Studies (WSCSS). She will be recognized at the WSCSS Leadership Retreat, Friday through Sunday, in Chelan, with a plaque, a check for $300, and membership to the National Association for Social Studies.

In January, Messing was named 2010 Washington Legislature’s Civic Educator of the Year, having been nominated by Rep. Jan Angel, R-Port Orchard.

Messing this year teaches 7th graders who next year will “loop” with her. As eighth graders, they will take part in a mock court at Kitsap County Courthouse. In past years, this activity has proven instructiven and engaging for students … and not just those who are born crazy for civics. A previous “trial,” put on with the help of Kitsap County Judge Marilyn Paja, focused on a teenage “defendant” accused of manslaughter and drunk driving. Other students played the part of attorneys, witnesses, judge and jury, roles they had to research beforehand.

It’s Messing’s goal to reach those kids who are monumentally bored by the idea of social studies. To get their attention, she tosses the text book … not literally, but instead of doggedly going chapter by chapter, she allows students to determine areas of study (within guidelines of the state’s essential learning standards). She lets them ask the questions … and find the answers. She allows for a lot of hands-on, “kinetic” studies, such as the role playing required for the mock courtroom exercise.

“I do whatever I can to engage students,” Messing said. “A lot of kids don’t understand why they need to study social studies. … I love teaching my kids you don’t have to be gifted to make a difference. It’s just about the average Joes.”

Messing worked for 18 years as a para-educator in Central Kitsap School District before getting her teaching degree. She has taught at Cedar Heights for eight years.

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Sheriff’s Office Investigating Threats at Sedgwick JHS

Kitsap County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a threatening note found Tuesday evening on a piece of toilet paper in a bathroom at John Sedgwick Junior High School.

The note threatened specific students and said Thursday was when the threats would be carried out, Kitsap County Sheriff’s spokesman Scott Wilson said.

Deputies bolstered patrols in and around the school Thursday morning. There have been no incidents, Wilson said.

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2010/mar/04/kitsap-sheriffs-office-investigating-threats-stude/#ixzz0hFXGUFja

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The Truth About Being a Journalist

Yesterday, I spent the morning at Marcus Whitman Junior High School‘s annual career fair. The gym was full of folks representing a range of professions: machinists, attorneys, animal control workers, a member of the county coroner’s staff, restaurant owners, medical personnel. It was our job to give the students a glimpse into the future and imagine themselves in our shoes.

Seeing them streaming into the gym reminded me what it was like to be in their shoes, drifting in that limbo stage between childhood and adulthood, trying to fit in while standing out. A few had that deer-in-the-headlights stare. Like, “Oh, man, I’m actually going to have to get a job someday.” Some knew exactly what they wanted to do … to the point they’d crossed all other possibilities off the list. The vast majority of them, however, were open-minded, politely but genuinely interested in prospect of being a journalist, at least for a minute or two.

I thought, what do I tell them about our industry, which has seen thousands of journalists laid off and hundreds of publications shuttered? Should I encourage these young people to invest their money, time and energy training for a career that may not exist as we know it by the time they’re out of school? It wouldn’t quite have been in the spirit of things to say, “Run!” So I told them the truth about journalism, at least as see it from my desk at the Kitsap Sun, a daily newspaper/Web site, published in Bremerton, Wash., circa 2010.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, and how I answered them.

Where do you get your story ideas?
We monitor state and local government Web sites and other Web sites for developments in and around Kitsap County. We stay in contact with sources with whom we’ve established relationships and use social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to keep up with what’s going on. We receive e-mails and phones calls from readers and others about news or human interest stories. And sometimes, we get ideas that strike our fancy, like the story I wrote on the Mattress Ranch guy.

What’s the hardest part of your job?
Writing the first sentence of any story.

What educational classes do I need to take to become a writer?
Don’t wait to complete your degree to start writing. Sign up for the high school newspaper or year book. Take journalism, photography and videography classes (South Kitsap High School has a great video production program). Write as often as you can, and be open to constructive criticism. Pick a topic that interests you and start a blog.

How successful are students who major in journalism at getting a job?
This wasn’t a frequently asked question, but I thought it was a great question. I couldn’t speak to current statistics, but I can say that the job market for journalists remains tight. Journalists today are required to wear many hats, so successful applicants will be ready to demonstrate versatility and innovation. Here at the Kitsap Sun, we reporters now not only write stories, but shoot videos and, in a pinch, take simple photographs.

With migration to the Internet, reporting the news is shifting from a series of static episodes to a fluid, quickly shifting landscape of information. News Web sites not only report news, sports, features and opinion pieces (as in the print paper), they serve as an online community forum. Readers can comment on stories and blogs, submit their own pictures and videos, and write their own blogs. In that was were are becoming a virtual community.

The Kitsap Sun will continue to publish the print edition of the paper. At the same time, our Web site is evolving rapidly. Both serve different, valid purposes. By the time these Marcus Whitman students graduate from college, it’s likely there will be jobs that don’t even exist (at least as separate jobs) right now. The titles “data base wrangler,” and “news cartographer” come to mind, for example.

To the student in the Twilight T-shirt who said she likes to write fantasy stories I said:
Hold that thought, keep writing and send your stories out to fiction publications as often as possible. At the same time, consider how you’ll earn a paycheck while waiting to become the next Stephenie Meyer.

To guy who wants to be a sports writer but wasn’t sure how he’d do it since he plays sports year ’round:
Cover the girls’ games.
I loved his reaction, at first, stunned silence, then a little ah-ha moment, then a slow sideways grin. They can be taught.

Is your job, like boring?
Yes, sometimes. Welcome to the real world.

Is your job stressful?
Yes, often. Welcome to the world of journalism.

Have you ever interviewed a celebrity?
I tried to tell them about Loretta Swit, aka “Hot-Lips Hoolahan,” who was in town a few years ago promoting her personal cosmetic line to a group of women. She gave me a mini-makeover in front of the group, but it didn’t take. The students were clueless about the significance of this story. They got the connection to M*A*S*H* after I primed their little neuron pumps, but they were unimpressed with Swit.

Debbie Macomber? Isn’t she that author lady? I think my mom reads her books.

Delilah? The South Kitsap resident and radio personality with millions of fans on the airwaves? No, never heard of her.

Seriously, next time Death Cab comes to town I’m on it. Just maybe they’ll know who Ben Gibbard is.

Do you like your job?
Yes, unequivocally. Stress turned inside out is excitement, and this job is frequently exciting. I’m not just talking about breaking news here, but also about how much fun it is not to know exactly what I’ll be doing each day when I walk in the door. Oh, sure, I have a plan, but often circumstances shift me to another track. We’re a small staff so I get to write news, features, Code 911 items and pretty much whatever comes along. I enjoy the variety, and I’m always amazed at how people allow me into their lives, often at deeply painful moments.

I also like the folks I work with, and I’m not just sucking up because I’m stuck with them. Over the past three years, it has sometimes seemed as if we were bailing out a leaky dingy while building the Titanic. We got this far though teamwork (and sometimes wacky outbursts of humor). Call me a terminal optimist, but I believe I’m not alone in saying things are looking up for the Kitsap Sun. It’s a work in progress. I can’t wait to see how it turns out, and I sure hope there will be someone to pick up where we leave off.

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Making Government Relevant to Teens

By Chris Henry
chenry@kitsapsun.com
SOUTH KITSAP
Teresa “Terri” Messing, a seventh-grade geography and reading teacher at Cedar Heights Junior High School was honored in Olympia Monday as the 2010 Washington Legislature’s Civic Educator of the Year. Messing has used a program called “Project Citizen” in her classroom to help students understand public policy and to realize they have the power to make changes in their school and community.
The annual award recognizes a teacher in the state who has been most involved in teaching students about government at the state and local levels.
Other local teachers receiving civics educator honors during the awards ceremony at the Washington State Capitol were Amanda Eisele, a first-grade teacher at Sunnyslope Elementary School and Ken Brown, a social studies teacher at Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor’s Peninsula School District.
The three teachers from the 26th Legislative District were nominated by Rep. Jan Angel (R) Port Orchard. A total of seven educators from throughout the state were recognized at the ceremony.
“Too often, students may feel they have no say in their government, or that civics is boring and should be left to the politicians,” said Angel. “But these outstanding teachers have made this subject come alive with their students and have shown them the importance of their involvement in government. They are a great influence for the next generation of our leaders and I am proud the Legislature is giving them the honor they deserve.”
Award recipients were chosen by the Civics Consortium, a 19-member panel that consists of House and Senate staff members, representatives from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Washington State Bar Association, TVW, and several other groups.
Monday was Civics Education Day at the state Capitol. The state House of Representatives entertained a resolution honoring civic educators. Award winners attended a luncheon and ceremony with Legislators in the John A. Cherberg Building.

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Friday Afternoon Club: Catch Debbie Macomber’s “Miracle”

By Chris Henry
chenry@kitsapsun.com
PORT ORCHARD
“Mrs. Miracle,” a heartwarming holiday movie based on the book by South Kitsap author Debbie Macomber, will premiere Saturday at the Historic Orchard Theatre, 822 Bay St.
The event, followed by a black-tie reception at Kitsap Bank, is a fundraiser for the South Kitsap High School Band, which will play in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade, and for Kitsap Regional Library.
Macomber will appear at the premiere, along with the two young Canadian actors, Valin Shinyei and Michael Strusievici, who star in the film.
In the movie, James Van Der Beek, formerly of “Dawson’s Creek,” plays a widower and father to six-year-old twins (Shinyei and Strusievici). Their new housekeeper, Mrs. Emily Merkle ( Doris Roberts) works her magical touch on their home and lives.
The film will be shown Dec. 5 on the Hallmark Channel.
Shannon Childs, a member of the Cedar Cove Association, approached Macomber’s publicist during Cedar Cove Days, Port Orchard’s celebration of Macomber’s work, about the possibility of showing “Mrs. Miracle” in the author’s hometown. Hallmark was open to the idea, but no profit could be derived from the showing, hence the fundraiser.
Tickets for the premiere and reception, at a cost of $50 per person, are available at Kitsap Bank, 619 Bay St. A limited number of tickets may be available at the door, said Childs.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. The movie starts at 5 p.m.
The event is hosted by the Cedar Cove Association and Kitsap Bank. For tickets, contact marketing@kitsapbank.com or (360) 876-7883.

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On Tuesday Five Chances to Speak Your Mind to the SK School Board

By Chris Henry
chenry@kitsapsun.com
SOUTH KITSAP
Members of the South Kitsap School District “Call to Action” Task Force have been meeting over the past year to establish goals and plans for the district in anticipation of a shift in fall 2010 to policy governance. It’s an organizational model that uses “ends” or goals to drive “means” or actions. Under policy governance, the superintendent assumes more responsibility for day-to-day decisions, while the school board focuses more on policy.
On Tuesday, members of the board will meet with the public at five separate locations to seek opinions on the direction the district should go. Meetings will run from 6 to 8 p.m. at John Sedgwick Junior High School, 8995 SE Sedgwick Road; Marcus Whitman Junior High School, 1887 Madrona Drive; Cedar Heights Junior High School, 2220 Pottery Ave.; Sunnyslope Elementary School, 4183 Sunnyslope Road SW; and Olalla Elementary School, 6100 SE Denny Boond Blvd.
Another series of public meetings is set for Dec. 16; locations to be announced.
For more information, contact Aimee Warthen at (360) 874-7002, or visit http://www.skitsap.wednet.edu.

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Polen Comments on SKSD Board Race Results

Incumbent South Kitsap School District board member Naomi Polen, who was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 2008, has been edged out by former board member Chris Lemke. Polen has served on the board for 18 months. Lemke was among those who asked to be considered for the appointment.

Lemke had earned 60.24 percent of the vote in unofficial results Tuesday. Polen took 38.67 percent. A total of 11,403 votes had been counted.

On Wednesday, Polen said she was “disappointed.”
“I really enjoyed the time I was working with the board,” she said. “I was really looking forward to seeing some of the projects through.”

Specifically, Polen has been a strong advocate of policy governance, an operational model under which school board members would set out broad policies and goals, then give the superintendent wide authority to meet the goals.

The district is taking a year to draw up goals for policy governance with input from district staff and community members. Polen said she’ll stay involved in the monthly “Call to Action” meetings that are open to the public. She expressed confidence in Lemke’s ability to pick up the baton and keep the momentum going.

“Once Chris gets on board, I’m sure he’ll see the importance of it and get involved,” she said.

Lemke has said he sees advantages to policy governance and is comfortable with the concept as long as the board retains oversight of the superintendent through regular reviews.

Polen said the board will need to remain attentive to the “constant battle” of promoting community involvement on decisions and actions that affect the district.

She also plans to stay involved in the district’s “Whole Child” initiative to hook students and their families up with community resources outside the classroom. The district has a link to resources available through volunteers and other groups on its Web site. Aspects within the Whole Child program include mentoring — Polen mentors a seventh grader — food through Backpacks for Kids, medical needs and more.

“I’ll stay active,” Polen said. “I’ll just keep my ear close to what the board’s doing. I’m grateful for the time I had. Apparently God had a different plan for me.”

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A Turf Field for the Wolves in This Economy?

By Chris Henry
chenry@kitsapsun
SOUTH KITSAP
Heading into playoff season with a 9-0 record, the South Kitsap Wolves football team would seem to have nothing standing in their way. But Coach D.J. Sigurdson says the grass field at Joe Knowles Stadium, looking these days like a mud bath, is selling the players and other South Kitsap athletes short.
South Kitsap is one of fewer than a dozen 4A schools in the state that hasn’t already converted to turf fields. Sigurdson says it’s time.
Coaches raised concerns about shortcomings of the field and other district athletic facilities during recent contract negotiations, said Ron Ness, president of the South Kitsap Coaches Association.
“Safety is an issue and making sure we can provide adequate resources for our athletes and the community,” said Ness.
With cuts to South Kitsap School District’s budget this year totaling $6.8 million, no one who uses the fields expects the district will ask voters to approve a capital facilities bond in the near future. So a facilities task force, made up of coaches, maintenance staff and community members, has taken matters into its own hands. They are seeking outside funding for a turf field and more.
At a meeting Monday, the group came up with a lengthy wish list, including upgrades to tracks and ball fields at the junior high and elementary schools, improvements and renovations to the pool, installed in the 1970s, scoreboards, lighting, public restrooms and storage.
The group agreed that district facilities should be made available for community use whenever possible.
Installation of a turf field at the high school would cost an estimated $1.7 million. The turf would need to be replaced in 10 to 12 years, but with infrastructure in place, the replacement cost would be about half the original price, said Brad Martin of Martin Victory Products of Kent, a turf manufacturer’s representative.
The high cost of installing a turf field would be offset in the long run by lower maintenance costs, said Kathleen Simpson of Fields Today, Fit Tomorrow. Her nonprofit group is coordinating with area sports clubs, local governments and other groups on the installation of turf fields throughout the county.
The annual maintenance cost on the grass field at the high school is $23,000. A turf field costs about $5,000 per year to maintain.
Turf fields present revenue opportunities, Simpson said. Her low-use estimate for one field would be about $57,000 in income for the district per year.
Fields Today, Fit Tomorrow had a hand in the recently opened fields at Battle Point Park on Bainbridge Island. The Bainbridge fields were built despite opposition from a group called Plastic Fields ForNever whose members link artificial turf to lead poisoning, cancer, skin burns and injuries.
Sigurdson said he hadn’t heard of environmental or disease hazards of turf fields. Injuries were a problem in the early days of the technology, but substrate, made of ground up tires, provides a more natural playing surface, he said.

The facilities task force will meet monthly. The public is welcome. The next meeting is 6 p.m. Dec. 7. For information, contact South Kitsap High School Athletic Director Ed Santos at (360) 874-5736 or santosjr@skitsap.wednet.edu.

Take the poll on the blog homepage: Does South Kitsap need a turf field?

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