If you'd like to use this graphic in your parent/student communication, please feel free (just right-click to save!)

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 the morning of Saturday May 14, and then break-up into teams to clean up downtown Bremerton. We want the city looking good for the annual Armed Forces Day parade and celebration.

Soon we will be recruiting team leaders and sharing a sign-up for those who want to participate in the event!

More details coming soon!

#WeAreBremerton

What are your ideas about graduation requirements in our state and how they should change to be more relevant for students? Give your view! This is the first round of listening sessions on the journey to alignment recommendations:

• Tuesday, April 12, 2022 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. (registration required)
• Wednesday, April 20, 2022 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. (registration required)
• Tuesday, May 3, 2022 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. (registration required) - students are welcome to speak during this session, adults will be in listen-only mode.

Learn more about at sbe.wa.gov/alignment.

POLICY NEWS – for Staff Review

There were no revised or new policies or procedures brought to the Board.

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Land Acknowledgement

During its first in-person public meeting in two years, the Board began with a “Land Acknowledgement,” a formal statement that recognizes and respects Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of this land and acknowledging not only the people of this land, but also the land itself.

This Land Acknowledgement selected by the Board is the published Acknowledgement approved by the Suquamish Tribe and taken from their website:

“We would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on which we gather is within the aboriginal territory of the suq̀ʷabš “People of Clear Salt Water” (Suquamish People). Expert fisherman, canoe builders and basket weavers, the suq̀ʷabš live in harmony with the lands and waterways along Washington’s Central Salish Sea as they have for thousands of years. Here, the suq̀ʷabš live and the land and waters of their ancestors for future generations as promised by the Point Elliot Treaty of 1855.:

Board Recognition

In celebration of Education Support Professionals Week, the Board, along with leadership from the Bremerton Professional Education Association (BPEA) recognized staff who have reached 10, 15, 20. 25 or *34 years of employment. This included two staff/members who plan to retire at the end of this school year – Doris Peters-Baxter (KL), 25 years, and *Julia (Julie) Anderson (NA) after 34 years. Congratulations and a huge thank you to all of the District’s classified staff who make the wheels of the school system turn every single day.

Interim Superintendent and Superintendent Search

Dr. Leavell has signed an agreement with Northwest Leadership Associates to begin a search immediately for an interim Superintendent to lead the District during the upcoming 2022-23 school year. The Board reviewed a proposal by this same organization outlining their strategy for recruiting quality candidates for the Superintendent position to begin July 1, 2023. Directors agreed to move forward with the selection of Northwest Leadership Associates to conduct a Superintendent search. Dr. Bolton abstained.

Superintendent Leavell shared that over 600 districts across the United States, including districts in Washington, are seeking to hold e-cigarette/vaping company Juul (and its major investor – Altria) liable for the unprecedented rise in nicotine use among teens. More specifically the school districts seek to hold Juul accountable for costs school districts have or will incur to prevent, intervene, and educate about nicotine use and addiction due to vaping. With the first trial set for late 2022, time is running out for the District to decide to participate in this mass-action lawsuit. The Board directed Superintendent Leavell to move forward with the process and to bring a proposal/resolution to the Board at the April meeting, in order to meet the April 30th deadline.

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

• April is Month of the Military Child. We'll be celebrating "Purple Up" Day and encouraging staff and students to wear purple in honor of military families on April 15. More details to come!
• Volunteer Appreciation Week is April 18-24! While we've had to scale back our volunteer program due to COVID, we still want to thank and honor the many volunteers who have served our students over the years. We'll share more about how we are celebrating our volunteers next month!

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 National Association for Music Education (NAfME) designates March as Music In Our Schools Month. The Bremerton School District values the importance of our K-12 comprehensive music programs that support social-emotional well being and develop a sense of belonging in our student musicians. As we wrap-up the month, we wanted to recognize some of our Bremerton High School choir students who recently competed at the regional solo and ensemble competition.

Marli Stodden won 1st place for sopranos and is going to the state competition at the end of April.

Juliana Meyer and Ryan DiCicco won1st place in the small mixed category and are also competing in the state competition.

Juliana Meyer and Marli Stodden won third place for small soprano/alto group competition and Knight Sounds won third place for large mixed groups - making both teams second alternate teams for the state competition.

Congratulations to these talented singers!

Congrats to the Bremerton High School Robotics team BremerTron for placing 6th place overall (out of 30 teams) at the Auburn School District event for FIRST Robotics. The team built a robot and competed in a game called “Rapid React.” They also won an award for control systems innovation for the unique and effective way that their robot signals to the driver that the robot has acquired the target and can be auto-aimed to make the shot.

The BHS team was one of the smallest teams at the competition with no veteran members so every team member had to learn everything from the ground up! Congratulations to all members of BremerTron, coach Blake Greisinger, assistant coach Steve Treese, and volunteer mentor Tyler.

Back back row from left to right: Tyler (mentor), adviser Blake Greisinger, Soren (student) and Steve Treese (assistant coach). Front row left to right are students Rhonin, Jacob, and Noah. Not pictured is Zach (student).

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

Bremerton Schools & Alumni Foundation grants program funds projects and materials that enhance the education of Bremerton public school students. There is $7,500 available for 2022-2023 classroom grants. In the past, the Foundation Board has limited grants to $500 per application. This year the Board will consider all applications as long as the amount does not exceed the $7,500 that is available. Think big (OK Bigger) and think collective.

Download the application below.

Deadline for applications is Monday, April 25th, 2022.

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 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.

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.

Book a free, one-hour guided virtual tour of the Washington State Capitol Campus, offered through the Department of Enterprise Services. Students will explore historic locations where government happens with 360-degree photos—no travel required! Guided virtual tours are for school groups 4th grade and up. Book your tour or email tours@des.wa.gov with questions.

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!)

Chickens cross the road as a Bremerton School District bus turns in East Bremerton on Thursday, March 17, 2022.

Youngsters share an umbrella as they walk to school during the spring rain in East Bremerton on Monday, March 14, 2022.