BSD Staff Updates

Dear Staff:

I trust this letter finds you in high spirits as we move through October, witnessing the colors and beauty of fall. As we near the middle of October, I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some updates on a few key initiatives.

Entry Planning

The initial phase of my entry into Bremerton has been both enlightening and invigorating. Since my last update in early September:

• I’ve been visiting schools, where I’ve experienced firsthand the passion and dedication each of you brings to our community.

• Met with various partners, from parents to community leaders, gathering insights about our district’s strengths and areas for growth.

• Initiated listening sessions with specific groups, which will continue throughout the year. All voices are crucial in shaping our shared vision for the future.

Strategic Planning

Building on the insights from the entry phase, we are now entering a critical period of strategic planning:

• A Core Planning Team, currently comprising 75-100 staff, students, parents, and community members, will be meeting for two full days in the coming weeks. This group is taking the lead in setting the broad direction for the plan and in integrating the input from the other planning teams.

• An Instructional Focus Team is currently being developed to include teachers, counselors, instructional aides, principals/school administrators, and district-level educational services staff. This team focuses on analyzing and examining the instructional commitments and will be meeting for two full days in December.

• Other teams include an Alignment Team, Student Voice Team (who will meet for two full days), and six (one Spanish speaking) Community Forums. Each team represents feedback sessions to include as many voices as possible.

• We aim to identify our key goals for the next five years, with identified strategies and metrics to monitor our progress.

• The Strategic Plan is slated for completion by late-Spring 2024.

EP&O and facilities next steps

As we look ahead, there’s a potential Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy and possible capital levy or bond on the ballot in 2024. This is an essential step to secure necessary funding for our schools and address infrastructure needs:

• Over the next month, we will provide detailed information on what these funding measures entail, they impact our schools.

• Community engagement sessions will be organized to gather feedback and address any questions.

• I encourage each of you to be ambassadors of this campaign, helping our wider community understand its significance. We will need you!

In closing, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome I’ve received. The dedication, passion, and commitment to our staff and families is seen and heard across our community.

Thank you for your continued optimism and leaning in to being bold and brave this school year! And remember to stop to see the beauty of these fall colors - we are truly blessed to live in such a magical part of the world!

James

Learn more at www.BremertonSchools.org/SchoolBusSafety

Feel free to use any of the graphics above in your student/family communication. You can view/download them (English and Spanish) in our District Communication Resources shared folder.

They say Friday the 13th is bad luck. This Friday, October 13 is Zach Klue's last day with the BSD Technology Department. Zach has been a part of the department since he was 16 when he started working as an intern while a student at Renaissance High School. After graduation, he was hired as our Network Technician. Zach will be greatly missed as a co-worker and a good friend. We all wish him the best in his new endeavors.

Our own Coach T (aka: Paul Theriault, head football coach and Dean of Students at Bremerton High School) was recently named Coach of the Week by the Seattle Seahawks!

The award comes not only with some well-deserved recognition, but a $500 donation to the Bremerton Knights football program, and an invitation to be a guest of the Seahawks at their December 17 game vs. the Eagles.

Here are what a couple of our Bremerton Knights Football seniors had to say about Coach T.

“Coach T is a great leader. He does an amazing job of not just teaching football, but teaching character and pushing everyone to be their best on and off the field. He does an excellent job of making the team feel like family, and always supports everyone no matter what.” -- Dillon

“Through the years at BHS Coach T has taught me that football is more than just a sport. It’s a commitment, you have to commit yourself to the team and to your role. You have to commit to trying your hardest no matter the odds put against you. Coach T has not only taught me how to improve in football but also how to improve the person I am, through perseverance and consistency.” --Rick-Anthony

We hope you’ll join us in showing Coach T some love. We invite you to add your comments below!

Congratulations, Coach T, and thank you for your tireless dedication to our students and student athletes. And we'd also like to give a shout-out to his wife and family for their support because being a head football coach is a big, almost year-round gig with many extra hours and hard work!

Dr. Crawford was featured in the American Association of School Administrators magazine this month!

While Attendance Awareness Month falls during September, the Bremerton School District will be focusing on attendance all year.

We are kicking-things off with an attendance awareness/education campaign this fall, through which we hope to:

1. Raise awareness among our staff, students, families and broader community about the critical importance of regular school attendance.

2. To support the efforts in our schools to create and maintain a culture of consistent attendance, engagement, and academic achievement in the District.

Through our education and outreach, we aim to:

• Highlight the connection between attendance and academic success and the direct correlation between consistent school attendance and improved academic achievement.

• Raise awareness of the long-term consequences of chronic absenteeism.

• Empower students and families with tools and resources to support their children’s attendance and overcome common barriers to regular attendance such as transportation, health and family issues.

Stay tuned for more information, updates and resources!

This District Leadership Organizational Chart can be found on the District website. There is a link from the "FOR STAFF" webpage for your convenience!

NEW THIS YEAR! We will be collecting our Impact Aid surveys electronically through Family Access in Skyward.

• Parents will receive an invitation from the District on October 16 to complete the process in Skyward.

• Each electronic survey will list all of the siblings in a student's primary family. Only one form is required for each family.
  

• Paper surveys will be available for parents upon request.
  

CLASSROOM INCENTIVE: As in the past, the District is offering the $100 classroom incentive for teachers that receive 100% return. 100% of the class surveys must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 20 to qualify. The $100 award is to be spent on your classroom. Instructions will be provided to teachers who qualify for the incentive.

Classroom teachers: Please review this important Impact Aid information and contact Connie Long in the business office with any questions.

SEBB members should have received a postcard from the SEBB Program.

Open enrollment is October 30 – November 20, 2023. An Open enrollment webpage is available for members to start researching about plan changes for 2024, to help them decide which plans will best meet their families’ needs.

Visit the Virtual Benefits Fairs: The SEBB Virtual Benefits Fair is available 24/7.

For more information, visit the Open enrollment webpage.

POLICY NEWS:

None.

New Student Representatives

Superintendent Crawford administered the Oath of Office to the second of our incoming student representatives to the Board, Nora Ramstad (pictured). Nora is currently a junior at Bremerton High School and was selected to serve as the student representative for this year and the 2024/25 school year.

Recognition

• October was designated as Disability History and Awareness Month in the Bremerton School District.
• October was also designated as a month to honor our principals and assistant principals by proclaiming it as National Principals Month.

Other Business:

• The Board accepted a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grant of $1.25 million for the period September 30, 2023 to May 31, 2027.

• The District agreed to accept the final settlement (with Altria Group) in the JUUL Lab Inc. nationwide lawsuit.
• The Board received a report on the “B Present” attendance campaign that has been initiated throughout the district.

For more information about these meetings and to view any of these documents, visit https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/wabrsd/Board.nsf/Public#.

Join us in-person or online! BremertonSchools.org/SchoolBoard

Bremerton Schools and Alumni Foundation Grant Program

Guidelines and Grant Application

2023-2024 School Year

What is the Grant Program?

This grant program funds projects and materials that enhance the education of Bremerton public school students. There is $10,000 available for 2023-2024 classroom grants. In the past, the Foundation Board limited grants to $500 per application. This year the Board will consider all applications as long as the amount does not exceed the $10,000 that is available. Think big (OK Bigger) and think collective.

Who can submit a Grant Request?

A grant may be submitted by any Bremerton Public Schools’ Educator.

When are Grant Applications due and awarded?

Grant applications are due by Sunday, Oct. 15th, 2023. Late grants cannot be accepted. Grants will be announced by Nov.15th, 2023 by e-mail and letter. The grant money will be disbursed through the end of the school year. Any unused balance will be returned to the Bremerton Schools and Alumni Foundation.

How are the Grants awarded?

The Bremerton Schools and Alumni Foundation Board appoints a committee to bring recommendations back to the Foundation Board.

Grant criteria:

The grants are based on merit, with priority given to projects or materials that:

• Are consistent with the educational goals of the Bremerton School District
• Stimulate student learning
• Enhance and expand student achievement

Grant restrictions:

The grants do not fund:

• Staff salaries
• School events and materials which the school district is required to provide by law

Follow up: Grant recipients are required to submit a report (one page or less), describing the use of the money and the results of the project. Due by the end of the school year 2024.

The requests are due on Sunday, Oct. 15th, 2023.

There is administrative concern that principals do not have a chance to review the grant requests to determine if the money requested aligns with the district goals. To answer this concern, the Foundation asks that the form be sent by the principal with the principal’s electronic signature. Please give your principal adequate time to review the building grants before the deadline.

As you know, we have a number of positions open in the District, and we also need substitutes. Flyers/graphics can be downloaded here.

If you would like to participate in this program, please email the following information to events@seefilm.net:

Name of School:

Name of Super Student Pass coordinator:

Phone#:

Email:

Questions? Please contact:

SEEfilm Events

(360) 362-7665 x3
events@seefilm.net

Background photo: BHS band and drill team perform during half time at the October 6 football game.

Email: communications@bremertonschools.org

Website: www.BremertonSchools.org
Phone: 360-473-1000
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The Bremerton School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee(s) has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination Garth Steedman at Garth.Steedman@BremertonSchools.org or 360.473.1031 or the Section 504 Coordinator, Mark Mayfield at 360.473.4702. Mailing address: 134 Marion Avenue North, Bremerton, WA 98312.