BSD Staff Updates

Thank you to our amazing Health Services team!

We appreciate our Child Nutrition Services (CNS) staff!

Our Spring Family-School Relationship Survey is open through next Wednesday, May 18. Most of you know this survey as the "Panorama Survey" but we use a more description name when talking with families.

Teachers: We appreciate any support you can provide in getting the word out to our families, and reminding them to complete the survey. We've got graphics you can use on your Google site (not your classroom as it could cause confusion for your students who will take the survey at school) or share via Remind. Please link the graphics to our survey information page on the website: www.BremertonSchools.org/Survey.

be Bremerton: A Day of Service is a districtwide event to show the Bremerton Community and the City of Bremerton our thanks for their tremendous support of the Bremerton School District and our students. BSD students, staff, families and volunteers will gather at Evergreen Rotary Park on Saturday May 14, and then break-up into teams to clean up downtown Bremerton before the annual Armed Forces Day parade and celebration!

A limited supply of FREE t-shirts will be available. If you have participated in the past and still have your t-shirt, wear it to be entered into a drawing!

We all want our children to feel successful and have the tools to handle their emotions at home and at school, that is why we are partnering with Tif Sedula Junker - founder of Xparenting - to create a space for us to learn together about supporting children and their emotional regulation skills.

The District is hosting a free event on May 16 for all families in the district (staff are welcome too) to learn more about how to support our children (from preK-12th grade) as they learn to navigate the "new normal" after COVID and re-entering school! Learn more here.

Students can RSVP at: https://bit.ly/3kRTDi4

Policy News

Policy 4311; School Safety and Security Services Program, related to HB 1214 and its training requirements for school safety and security staff, was adopted and is attached here for review.

Policy 2413; Equivalency Credit for Career & Technical Education Course came to the Board for first reading.

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Board Recognition

Max Karler, BHS Director of Instrumental Music and K-12 Music Coordinator, and Wendy McPhetres, Choir Director, were honored by the Board for the District being recognized as one of the Best Communities for Music Education. Dr. Leavell thanked Wendy and Max for their passion for music education and their students. These efforts, particularly over the past two years, have kept the programs front and center with students, families, and within the community. Ms. McPhetres recently returned with three of her students who received superior and excellent ratings for their performances at the WIAA State Solo and Ensemble Competition. This included Ryan DiCicco and Juliana Meyer (ensemble) who sang the National Anthem for the Board, as well as Marli Stoddard (soprano soloist).

BHS’s Robotic Team, BremerTron, had several members attend the meeting giving a demonstration of their robot, Rob, who performed well at two competitions earlier this year. BHS instructor/leader Blake Greisinger attended the meeting with students, Zach Allen, Ricky Clarke, Noah Kroeker, and Soren Mathisen, as well as two dedicated volunteer mentors, Steve Treese and Tyler Kerle. Rob and team did well in Auburn, coming away with the Innovation in Control Award for its computer vision design.

The Board helped celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week by approving Resolution 2021/2022-17 and were pleased to present BEA President Greg Raymond with a certificate thanking all of our teachers for their wonderful work and dedication.

Director John Hurley was once again appointed to act as the liaison with the WA Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) for the 2022-23 school year. This has been a good fit as John is active in community and local youth sports.

Several contracts with Kitsap Mental Health Services were signed for the upcoming school year. These include Shield Programs at Mountain View Middle and Bremerton High Schools, the Sequoia Program at Armin Jahr and Crownhill Elementary Schools, as well as a contract to support students attending West Hills Restorative School.

Reminder that Be Bremerton will happen on May 14th. This day of service for many staff, students and families helps prepare the route and downtown area for the Armed Forces Day Parade which occurs May 21st.

To view any of these documents, you may also visit https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/wabrsd/Board.nsf/Public#.

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

Shout out to BHS National Honor Society Members for volunteering at the BSD booth at the Bremerton Family YMCA's annual Healthy Kids Day last month!

The Collective Visions Art Gallery (CVG) is featuring artwork from Bremerton High School students during the month of May.

More than one hundred works of art by students are on display in the downstairs rooms. CVG is located at 331 Pacific Ave and 4th Street, on the corner of the "Big Fish and Fisherman" in downtown Bremerton.

The flyer (below) promoting the opening night reception was designed by Bremerton High School senior Junior Newman.

The Kindness Project consists of a group of volunteers who write encouraging notes to students, families and staff. More more information.

2022-23 Academic Calendars (English and Spanish) are posted on the District website at www.BremertonSchools.org/Calendar.

The Bremerton School District, in an effort to increase the number of substitutes, has recently enacted bonuses for classified and certificated substitutes for the 2021-22 school year. This information is available on our website at www.BremertonSchools.org/Bonus.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Leesa Bowie: leesa.bowie@bremertonschool.org. Please help us spread the word. Thank you!

Learn more at www.BremertonSchools.org/Gaggle. Resources for staff wanting to refer students can be found in this shared folder.

Teachers: Please consider adding a Gaggle Teletherapy graphic to your Google Classroom and Google Site. Please link to www.BremertonSchools.org/Gaggle or https://www.bremertonschools.org/Page/8609.

We are pleased to offer free online tutoring through TutorMe for all Bremerton School District students in grades 3-12. Students can access TutorMe through Clever.

More information is available on the District's Family Technology Support website.

The clinic serves Bremerton School District students (preschool - 12th grade) and staff. Learn more at www.BremertonSchools.org/Clinic.

All taxpayers should review their federal withholding each year to make sure they're not having too little or too much tax withheld. Doing this now can help protect against facing an unexpected tax bill or penalty in 2023.The sooner taxpayers check their withholding, the easier it is to get the right amount of tax withheld.

Taxpayers whose employers withhold federal income tax from their paycheck can use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to help decide if they should make a change to their withholding. This online tool guides users through the process of checking their withholding to help determine the right amount to withhold for their personal situation. Taxpayers can check with their employer to update their withholding or submit a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate.

Adjustments to withholding
Individuals should generally increase withholding if they hold more than one job at a time or have income from sources not subject to withholding. If they don't make any changes, they may owe additional tax and possibly penalties when filing their tax return.

Individuals should generally decrease their withholding if they qualify for income tax credits or deductions other than the basic standard deduction.

Either way, those who need to adjust their withholding must prepare a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Certificate. They need to submit the new Form W-4 to their employer as soon as possible since withholding occurs throughout the year.

Individuals who should check their withholding include those:

• who experienced a marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of child, purchase of a new home or retirement
• who are working two or more jobs at the same time or who only work for part of the year
• who claim credits such as the child tax credit
• with dependents age 17 or older
• who itemized deductions on prior year returns
• with other personal and financial changes

Tax Withholding Estimator benefits
The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator can help taxpayers:

• determine if they should complete a new Form W-4.
• know what information to put on a new Form W-4.
• save time because the tool completes the form worksheets.

Taxpayers should prepare before using the Tax Withholding Estimator by having their most recent pay statements, information for other income sources and their most recent income tax return. The tool does not ask for sensitive information such as name, Social Security number, address, or bank account numbers.

Taxpayers shouldn't use the Tax Withholding Estimator if:

• They have a pension but not a job. They should estimate their tax withholding with the new Form W-4P.
• They have nonresident alien status. They should use Notice 1392, Supplement Form W-4 Instructions for Nonresident Aliens.
• Their tax situation is complex. This includes alternative minimum tax, long-term capital gains or qualified dividends. See Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.

More information:
Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs

Did you know the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Coalition (one of the five networks of Kitsap Strong) created a webpage with an interactive map of resources for transportation, health care, food banks, clothing, free wifi, and other services? Check it out (and share!)

It is not your imagination. This has been a record-breaking cold and wet spring. Unfortunately, it does not look like things are going to be improving, according to UW's Cliff Mass in his recent blog post.

Background photo: View Ridge Elementary Arts Academy Fifth Grade Musical (Monday, May 9, 2022).