BSD Staff Updates

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.

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!

Download the graphics above (and more) in English and Spanish for use in your classroom and student/family communication!

Marlaina Simmons has joined the Bremerton School District as the Executive Assistant to the Superintendent. Marlaina holds a bachelors in Human Services from Western Washington University. She is passionate about early learning, parenting, and human rights.

Prior to joining the Bremerton School District Team, Marlaina served as the Development and Operations Manager at One Heart Wild (2022-2023), the Co-lead for the Peninsulas Early Childhood Coalition (2021-2023) and the Networks Manager for Kitsap Strong (2016-2022). During her career she has collaborated with community and state level partners and facilitated the process of coming together and learning. Marlaina also organized Kitsap Strong's Resiliency Summit serving 200+ people and previously served on the Kitsap County Council for Human Rights.

Welcome, Marlaina!

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

• Parents/guardians received an invitation from the District on October 16 to complete the process in Skyward.

• Each electronic survey lists the names of all siblings. Only one form is required per family (not one per student as previously communicated.)
  

• 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.

Download the Income Aid graphics here!

POLICY NEWS:

Administrators presented two new procedures for the Board - click on the link to see the changes:

3230P; Searches of Students and Their Property

6801P; Capital Assets/Theft-Sensitive Assets

Levy & Bond Considerations

Recent work was done to gather input from staff and community regarding priorities for our aging facilities as well as some options for funding these capital projects. Assistant Superintendent Garth Steedman presented information to the Board about this input, particularly around running a Bond or Levies during the February 2024 elections. At the next meeting, the Board will choose between putting a 20-year Bond or a 25-year Bond on the ballot for voters, as well as whether to run a two-year EP&O Levy.

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

There is only one board meeting in November!

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

Levies bridge the gap between what the state funds, and what it costs to meet the needs of every student. Our Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) Levy funds approximately 15 percent of our total District budget! Learn more below!

Open enrollment is a time when you can make changes to your health plans and enrollment. You may consider changing your medical plan this year during open enrollment, as premiums for some plans are increasing significantly. You are not required to stay on the same plan each year.

Annual open enrollment changes are effective January 1, 2024. This means that when you make changes during annual open enrollment, your enrollment will stay the same through December 31, 2023.

During annual open enrollment you can:

• Change your medical plan.

• Change your dental plan.

• Change your vision plan.

• Add or remove dependents.

• Attest to the spouse or state-registered domestic partner (SRDP) coverage premium surcharge for 2024, if required.

• Enroll in the Medical Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Limited purpose FSA, or Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) through Navia Benefit Solutions.

• Enroll in medical coverage if previously waived.

• Waive your medical coverage if you are enrolled in other employer-based group medical, a TRICARE plan, or Medicare.

Bremerton is going to be the site of one of the in-person benefits fairs. This will be held at Olympic College Student Center, on Tuesday, November 14. There will be two time slots the first time slot is 11am - 3 pm - this time is Retiree focused for those who have and those who are looking at retiring soon. The time slot for current employees is 4 pm - 7pm. There will be representatives from the different plans there to help answer your questions. So be sure to go if you need help with your plan selections. Please note - this is for both School Employees and Public Employees so be sure any information you pick up is for SEBB.

Learn more about the changes you can make on the SEBB open enrollment webpage and in the Intercom newsletter.

• Open enrollment (SEBB)
• Open enrollment webinars (SEBB)
• Virtual benefits fair (SEBB)

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

Download these fliers in English and Spanish HERE.

The last day to register to vote by mail or online is Monday, October 30! For more information on the November 7 general election and voter registration, visit the Kitsap County Auditor's website.

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

Desired donations include:

• Clothing and accessories suitable for a job interview occurring in fall/winter. Items must be clean, folded, and in a box/bag.
• Hygiene packs
  • Soap
  • Deodorant
  • Hairbrushes/combs
  • Feminine products
• Monetary donations for purchasing above items.
• Call Michelle Mathiesen at (360)479-6041 ext. 112 to make a financial contribution.

Donation drop-off:

Kitsap Medical Group

2601 Cherry Ave, Ste 213, Bremerton WA 98310

M-F 9 AM-5 PM

Please only leave items during business hours, thank you.

Background photo: BHS girls' soccer team.

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.