BSD Staff Updates

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

News, Information and Updates for Bremerton School District staff.

View archives here.

Check out the Kitsap Sun story and learn more about the levy here.

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

As many of you know, the Bremerton Bremerton School District family has lost two former colleagues and friends who passed away recently. Please click below to view their obituaries.

• Steve Crumb
• Karen Lippy

Virtual Math Blast STEM (MBS) was a terrific success. Students and their families were engaged in a variety of STEM activities that were facilitated by Keyport Engineers, PSNS Engineers and BSD Teachers. One hundred and fifty students in Pre-K to 8th grade participated. Thank you to the BSD Math Blast team and to all who volunteered at the event.

Here are a few comments from participants and their families:

• I want to do this every day!
  
• My 3rd grader loved every second—even the challenging ones. He said “This is the best two hours of virtual learning ever!”
  
• I had fun, so did my family.
  
• I recommend doing math blast stem next year.
  
• Hoop, bridge, marble maze = fun projects!
• Thank you so much for this event. My kids loved it and I love seeing them excited for learning. I know it is a lot of work and time so I can't say Thank You enough!

POLICY NEWS – for Staff Review

The Board adopted Policy 3411, Accommodating Students with Seizure Disorders or Epilepsy on second read. During the 2021 legislative session, Legislature enacted HB 1085, an act promoting a safe public school learning environment for students with seizure disorders. WSSDA responded by creating this new model policy. Procedures will follow shortly.

Board Recognition

Next week, Feb. 7-11, is National School Counseling Week. Assistant Superintendent Iva Scott shared a PowerPoint presentation highlighting all of our counseling staff, interventionists, and two new positions to the district, the Student, Family and School Liaisons (5) and Student Assistance Specialists (2) who are spread throughout our schools. No longer called “guidance counselors,” focused solely on a student’s academics and career path, their roles have adapted over the years to address the needs of students in an increasingly complex world. School counselors serve as the first line of defense identifying and addressing students’ social/emotional needs within the school setting.

Superintendent and Board Reports

Many directors and district office administrators recently attended a meeting of the Kitsap ERACE Coalition’s Educational Team on January 24th. This was a great opportunity for everyone to get acquainted and to begin looking at ways of working together.

Opportunities are opening up for students again to be able to attend in-person conferences and competitions as evidenced by two overnight trips approved for Bremerton High School. Students will be able to attend the DECA State Career Development Conference scheduled next month in Bellevue, WA. Cheer students will also be able to compete at the WIAA State Cheerleading competition being held this month in Battle Ground, WA.

The 2021-22 Academic Calendar came back to the Board for one last update. Renaissance High School’s graduation was listed for June 2, 2022, but the actual date of the graduation to be held at the Performing Arts Center is Wednesday, June 1st.

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

• February is Black History Month

• February is CTE Month

• Feb 7-11 is National School Counselors week

• View the recognition calendar

Jane Ruley was the first African-American teacher in Kitsap County. She was the daughter of a slave. Jane also attended Hampton Institute in Virginia, along with her fellow classmate, Booker T. Washington. The school was located on her husband Paul E. Ruley’s property. He was a Kitsap County pioneer who was born in Germany and served on the Sheridan School Board.

School counselors work to maximize student success for all students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. School counselors help all students:

• Apply academic achievement strategies

• Regulate emotions and develop interpersonal skills

• Plan for post-secondary options

Check out this letter to the editor in the Kitsap Sun from Superintendent Aaron Leavell for School Board Appreciation Month last month!

Armin Jahr teacher Ashleigh Schiano-Oliver has made the Honor Roll for the Honored National Teaching Award. She was nominated by parent Johnny Luzitano . The Honor Roll recognizes every teacher nominated for the Honored National Teaching Award. View her nomination here.

Every nomination matters: Research shows that teachers who see the impact they have on students’ lives stay engaged and inspired, and they continue teaching longer.

Congratulations, Ashleigh!

BHS graduate Isabella Meyer recently played the role of Marcellina in Harvard College Opera's performance of Le Nozze di Figaro!

Got a shout-out for someone in your school or in the community doing great things to support our students? Please email Karen.Bevers@BremertonSchools.org!

The Bremerton School District, in an effort to increase the number of certificated substitutes, recently enacted the following incentives for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year. This information is available on our website at www.BremertonSchools.org/GuestTeachers. If you have any questions, please reach out to Leesa Bowie: leesa.bowie@bremertonschool.org.

Please help us spread the word.

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.

Information on updated COVID guidance for schools was sent to families on January 17. There is a graphic that links to the information on all home pages to the information so it is easy for families to find it.

Look for this graphic and link on the homepage, or click on the "FOR STAFF" tab on any District or school web page which takes you to the staff quick links & resources page.

Kitsap Strong and XParenting are seeking interested individuals (natural supports in the lives of our youth/children) to participate in a two-day virtual training and subsequent Community of Practice (CoP).

This experience is designed to empower participants with the skills and confidence to help children cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation. We believe every person can flourish when they have the support of caring and competent adults.

Excellent candidates for this FREE training opportunity include any/all “caring adults” who have relationships with children and are natural mentors (formal or informal) - teachers, youth leaders, coaches, scout leaders, faith & activity leaders, aunties/uncles, neighbors, and grandparents.

Applications are now being accepted for the “Ellison Education Grants”. Grants are intended for K-12 public school teachers in Washington State. The Ellison foundation has awarded 66 grants and $288,000 to Washington State teachers the past five years. The Ellison Foundation will award grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 in the spring of 2022 (for use during the 2022-2023 school year).

Applications must be submitted by March 26th, 2022.

To learn more about the “Ellison Education Grants” please visit:

http://ellison-foundation.org/ellison-education

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!)